Visit Julia Child’s Georgetown Home This Saturday
The French Chef's home is one of eight properties on view as part of this year's "Georgetown Old & New" house tour.
In the 1950s, Julia Child developed recipes for Mastering the Art of French Cooking, one of her earliest cookbooks, from the colonial-style house in a tucked-away strip of Georgetown that she purchased with her husband in the late 1940s.
What Child called a “little jewel” of a house, a clapboard built in 1870 by notable African-American carpenter Edgar Murphy and recently sold after a five-year renovation, is one of eight privately held properties that will be on rare public view as part of the 89th Georgetown House Tour.
Heralded as “the oldest, most prestigious house tour in the country,” this year’s self-guided tour, presented by St. John’s Episcopal Church, Georgetown Parish, highlights the history and evolution of the neighborhood, a showcase of charming 19th-century architecture updated with 21st-century modern design enhancements.
The historic church, dating to 1796 and counting Thomas Jefferson and Francis Scott Key as founding members, will serve as the starting point for the tour, set for Saturday, April 23, while also welcoming attendees for an afternoon Parish Tea serving light beverages and refreshments.
The tour serves as a benefit for the church’s ministry and outreach, including support for a range of charities including the DC Volunteer Lawyers Project, Manna DC, Jubilee Jobs, Georgetown Ministry Center, Seafarers & International House, American Near East Refugee Aid, and Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem.
Child’s home is one of eight properties on view as part of this year’s “Georgetown Old & New” tour. Other highlights include:
The home of interior designer Skip Sroka and husband John Kammeier, a recently reconfigured and repurposed property featuring a centered staircase and second-floor garden room filled with a mix of custom-designed furniture and antiques.
A double-sized lot on Dumbarton Street whose large windows and French doors open to a light-filled home adorned with period pieces and an extensive art collection, plus a Carriage House converted into a Nantucket-inspired guest cottage with large pool and patio.
City Tavern Club, the last remaining Federal-style tavern in the city, housed in a building dating to 1796 and originally managed by Revolutionary War veteran Clement Sewall. A few days before the tour comes the kickoff Patron’s Party, this year held in the lavish garden at the Langhorne Residence, 1680 31st St. NW, on Wednesday, April 20, from 6 to 8 p.m.
The tour is Saturday, April 23, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with Parish Tea from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Blake Hall, 3240 O St. NW. Tickets are $55 in advance or $60 in person, or $300 including the Wednesday Patron’s Party. Call 202-338-1796 or visit www.georgetownhousetour.com.
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